The Book of Terms

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The Book of Terms The WJI Book of Wire & Cable Terms: an interactive experience of learning and sharing
This book, written by industry volunteers and containing more than 5,000 entries, is an asset for newcomers to wire and cable.

At the same time, it also represents an opportunity for industry veterans to give back by either updating or adding to the more than 5,000 entries. This is an honor system process. Entries/updates must be non-commercial, and any deemed not to be so will be removed. Share your expertise as part of this legacy project to help those who will follow. Purchase a printed copy here.

Contains Begins with Exact Sounds like

0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Corrosion Fatigue

Cracking produced by the combined action of repeated or fluctuating stress and a corrosive environment.

Corrosion Prevention

Methods that provide some degree of protection to metal. These include protective atmospheres, other metals, coatings (such as paint), and dissimilar metals that corrode to protect another metal.

Corrosion, Galvanic

Intense corrosion that occurs when a base metal (reactive) is in contact with a more noble (unreactive) metal. This process is associated with a galvanic cell that is set up with the base metal as an anode.

Corrosive Wear

Pertaining to polymer extrusion, it is the accelerated wear on moving parts (such as screw and barrel surfaces) caused by chemical attack, which is in addition to frictional wear. The corrosive chemical can be created when polymers like FEP PVC degrade due to overheating.

Cotter Pin

A split pin, made from half-round wire that has a tapered piece (cotter) which, when inserted into a hole or slot and the tapered piece bent, prevents a nut from working loose or unscrewing. It is produced in various sizes, very little is drawn, most being cold rolled to shape from round material.

Cotton

A natural plant fiber that is used in the industry for servings and braids. It has good flexibility and strength although treatments are required to provide chemical and fungus resistance. Heat resistance is limited.

Cotton Covering

Used for covering wires and strips for winding large coils requiring heavy conductors of round or rectangular section. Cotton insulation acts chiefly as a mechanical spacer between conductors and the electrical strength of the coil depends on the impregnating varnish used. Thorough drying out is necessary before impregnation as the electrical strength is greatly reduced if moisture is present.

Coulomb

Unit quantity of electricity; i.e., the quantity transferred by one ampere in one second.

Coulomb Friction

The proportionality factor in calculating the shear stress as a function of pressure between the work piece and die. It is assumed constant for a given die, work piece and lubricant.

Counter EMF

The voltage opposing the applied voltage and the current in a coil; caused by a flow of current in the coil; also known as back EMF.

Counterpoise

Bare copper, usually soft drawn, buried around the perimeter of a structure for grounding purposes.

Coupling

The transfer of power by proximity, between two or more cables or pairs in a cable.

Coupling Efficiency

Efficiency of optical power transfer between two components.

Coupling Loss

Signal losses due to small differences in numerical aperture, core diameter, core concentricity and tolerances in splicing connectors when two fibers are aligned. Also known as Splicing Loss and Transfer Loss.